Kansas City Connection: New Year’s possibilities for foodies and fun-seekers

For the most part, I consider myself qualified to write this weekly Kansas City events column; I live in Kansas City, I can write, and I do stuff. But I must admit, I mostly hate New Year’s Eve; the roads are full of drunks, going out can get expensive and I just don’t own very many sparkly clothes.

But some of you may disagree with me, so here are some things that actually seem like a fun way to spend a New Year’s Eve out in Kansas City.

• If I were going to wear sparkles, I’d only wear them to Hamburger Mary’s (101 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.) for the XANADU 2013 New Year’s Eve Party.

• If you were hoping for something with more grandeur, the Kansas City Convention Center hosts its annual New Year’s Eve Bash at the Grand Ballroom (301 W. 13th St., Kansas City, Mo.) at 7 p.m.

I feel like this will be the kind of party where you’ll run into your parents’ friends, but it’s also the kind of party where you can stumble into to a nearby bed and stay the night.

The Grand Package ($299) includes two tickets to the ballroom party, a guest room at the Marriott Downtown, a bottle of champagne at check-in, as well as late checkout and a hangover breakfast. Or, you can get into the party for $99.

It begins with your choice of Beet and Herbed Goat Cheese Napoleon or Roasted Cauliflower Soup and ends with Chocolate-Espresso Pot de Creme or Bread Pudding Brulée. Middle courses include Spiced Lamb Sausage, Rock Shrimp Remoulade, Grilled Butcher’s Tenderloin, Pan-Roasted Arctic Char and much more. Wine pairings are available at an additional cost. To view the full menu, visit urbantablekc.com and call 913-948-6900 for reservations.

• If your idea of fun is wandering around Westport on New Year’s Eve, $10 gets you a wristband that allows entrance into The Foundry, McCoy’s and Beer Kitchen — all at the intersection of Westport Road and Pennsylvania in Kansas City, Mo.

There will be DJs and drink specials at each location, and your wristband entitles you to a free specialty beer or champagne toast at midnight. For more information, call (816) 389-4180.

Whatever you do, please be safe. Get a room or call cab if you need to.

Until next year,

Emily

— By day, Kansas City native Emily Farris is a cookbook publicist. The rest of the time, she can be found eating food or writing about it. Find her recent ramblings at feedmekc.com.

Ian Stepp remembers visiting his aunt’s house as a kid, where he’d play classic games like Duck Hunt and iterations of the Mario Brothers saga on the family’s trusty old Nintendo Entertainment System.
Now pushing 30, Stepp is still a fan of the now-classic video games that in recent years have spawned a thriving culture and industry capitalizing on the nostalgia of grownups who coveted Nintendo game systems as kids in the 1980s and 90s.